February 20, 2014

For these many years I have enjoyed using Typepad for my mixed media art blog. But I am finding it more challenging to keep it up, along with my Halloween blog. So I will no longer be posting here on Typepad. Instead, please follow me on my new blogger blog:

February 12, 2014

Since Christmas, I have been keeping a watercolor journal. I have been stretching my paintbrush muscles getting ready for another holiday season. The unfinished painting of a leaf above was actually a photograph I took while on a walk after it had rained. The sun poked out briefly adding sparkle to the water droplets all around us. It was a magical moment, and I am eager to see if I can impart that feeling. Here is another journal page.

And speaking of magic, I will be teaching this summer at Artful Gathering, the online summer art workshops. I am finishing my class samples, which I will share here soon. I will be offering two classes, one of which will be Halloween themed. Watch for details soon and check out Artful Gathering.com.

In the meantime, we have had weddings to attend, summer dinner parties to enjoy and strolls on the beach amid sand castles. Plus, we are putting in our backyard, which is no easy task with all the sand we have here! The North Florida summer months are heating up and so are the afternoon thunderstorms, which make a great backdrop when I am painting a haunted house or creating a witch. I hope to see you at one of these shows! Enjoy your summer, it is passing by much too fast!

April 21, 2013

The gardening season in north Florida is short, since we really can't grow much during the hot months of June, July and August. So I started early and decided to share some of the photos of our side yard, container garden. Fresh herbs are so much better, don't you think? Parsely, sage, rosemary and thyme...hmmm...I've heard that somewhere before!

I love this little thoughtful cherub. I think of our daughter when I walk past.

Tomatoes, lettuce, turnips and spaghetti squash are all planted in containers.

I planted these nasturtiums from seed! The flowers are edible too. Thankfully the squirrels haven't gotten them.

Our gargoyles stand watch out front amidst the azeleas. I am inspired each time I glance out the window and see the beauty of these plants. Enjoy the sights of late spring.

February 22, 2013

I have a collection of vintage China doll heads from Germany. Years ago, I won an ebay auction for a number of them and a sweet friend gave a bag of them to me. I am always trying to find ways of using these remants of the past in my art, and a spun cotton rabbit seemed natural. This little gem is currently available on eBay and will end on Sunday evening. Wishing you warmer days and bunny smiles!

January 23, 2013

January is flying by and before we know it spring will be here with it's beautiful flowers and of course Easter. The weather here in north eastern Florida has finally turned cold. In fact it was a chilly 39 degrees this morning! So I will be ready for warmer days once the vernal equinox hits on March 23.

In the meantime, I have been busy in my studio creating Valentine and Easter whimsies. The spun cotton bunny and chick pictured above are currently being offered on eBay.

I am just loving spun cotton, and I have been in love with the craft for some time. I am trying to hone my skills and have created a sweet Valentine's Cupid as part of the PFATT Valentine's art challenge, now going on via eBay.

If you head to the auction site and use the term PFATT in your eBay search window, you'll find all the wonderful creations by my fellow artist members. Speaking of Valentine's Day, I need to make our dinner reservations! My husband and I love trying all the unique restaurants St. Augustine has to offer. Don't forget to make your date for February 14!

January 10, 2013

The new year brings January birthdays for my husband and our beloved Brianna. So it is always a month full of duplicity. A time for celebration and promise for new beginnings, coupled with sadness and loss. We have wonderful memories of holidays past, when the whole family was here, and those help us through these times. But some days are still filled with disbelief that someone so dear can be gone forever.

Trevor also heads back to college after a month-long break of holiday cheer and relaxation at home. It's hard letting him return to his other life on campus, some 10 hours drive away. When he leaves, the sense of loss is almost overwhelming.

That's my cue to hide away in my studio and get lost in my art. It truly does save. Above is one of my current works-in-progress.

So with cherished memories of the not-so-distant past of 2012 and the memories of when we all were together years ago, we carry on and look to a new year filled with art.

December 15, 2012

There is nothing like a Christmas tour of homes to get you into the holiday spirit!

I belong to the Las Adelphas Garden circle, one of 10 circles made up of about 30 members each, and part of the greater, 300-member St. Augustine Garden Club. Each year, the club puts on the Christmas Tour of Homes, in which six historic homes in the downtown are decorated with fresh flowers and all sorts of Christmas cheer. A tea and boutique are also part of the tour - in fact I had to bake some four dozen cookies for it! About 1500 tickets are sold each year and it sells out early, this year was no exception.

Being a new member, this was my first year taking part in the tour. Not only did I help decorate a beautiful renovated 1920's home, I also got to tour the other five and even enjoy some cookies and tea!

It was a lot of work, taking about three full days to decorate and then another couple hours on the day of the tour working a two-hour shift at the house and directing people from room to room. But what a great experience!

The top photo is the moss wreath our circle created for the front door of the Gowen home, a beautiful historic house right on the Intercoastal and in view of the Bridge of Lions downtown. Here it is with all the decorations in place outside. I personally wired the greenery on the fresh cut wreaths that adorn the front windows. Actually, there was a group of us working on them.

Not only did we add the fresh greenery to the square wire forms, we added large pinecones to the backs - so they'd be beautiful from inside the house as well as the outside - but we also added pepper berries, little gem magnolia leaves, a green apple and a large, purchased sugar pinecone hanging in the middle. They were a lot of work, but so worth it!

Here are more pictures of the house our club decorated. I'll share some of the photos of the other homes in a second post. Stay tuned! In the meantime, enjoy the home tour!

The family room...

A close-up of the coffe table arrangement. Don't you just love those horse-tail pine needles!

The beautiful living room fireplace. You can barely see the stairs in the background, also adorned with fresh greenery thanks to our club members handy work.

This is their entry, pink roses and pink poinsettias, magnolia leaves and curly willow. Need I say more?

Wouldn't you just love this view for coffee in the morning?

Their breakfast nook...again a gorgeous view! And check out the neat jellyfish glass lights in the upper left corner. They are stunning!

The back door was decorated with all sorts of dried fruits, cinnamon sticks and small pinecones. One of our members dried the oranges, star fruit and orange peel. Just lovely!